Houthi forces backed by allied army units attacked a big airbase about 60 km (37 miles) north of Aden on Wednesday, triggering heavy fighting with defenders loyal to President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, security sources and residents said.

The fighting at the al-Anad facility was also reported by media affiliated with the Iranian-backed Houthi movement, which has taken over much of the north of the country in recent months and contests U.S.-allied Hadi’s legitimacy as head of state.